Moses Lake out of play-in stage with win over Sunnyside 3-0
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake's Abby Rathbun (center) and Denali Knowles (right) celebrate Rathbun's goal in the first half against Sunnyside Saturday at Lions Field.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake defender Denali Knowles takes a shot past Sunnyside’s Destiny Salinas in the second half.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake’s Cora Bruneel (4) shakes off a Sunnyside player Saturday at Lions Field.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake’s Morgan Skone dribbles past a Sunnyside defender Saturday at Lions Field.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake’s Christina Mullan (15) and Kennady Schlagel (3) try to keep the ball from Sunnyside’s Briana Granados Saturday at Lions Field.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake defender Denali Knowles shoots and scores in the first half against Sunnyside.
MOSES LAKE — With Thursday's game still fresh in the minds of the Moses Lake players and coaching staff, 20 minutes without a goal against Sunnyside was no big deal.
The Grizzlies defense can hold up — for a time — and Morgan Duim is solid between the posts.
Eventually, the goals arrived — back-to-back connections between Abby Rathbun and Denali Knowles — and Moses Lake advanced out of the district play-in stage with a 3-0 win.
“The goals will come and we've just got to keep at it,” head coach Ric Char said. “We had some good film and we had a good pre-game to talk about and plan the game. Having it fresh was definitely I think an advantage for us and having that momentum on Thursday really helped as well.”
Crisp passing allowed Rathbun to find Denali Knowles streaking upfield in the 28th minute. Knowles put the Chiefs on the board — her third goal against the Grizzlies in the last two meetings.
“She's a hard worker and she knows the game of soccer,” Rathbun said. “I think we really started clicking when we were playing against Davis. We had a little play and ever since then it's just been clicking ever since and playing for two years in a row no we know where we're going to be at at all times.
“Being up at forward it's nice that I can get involved in that play with her.”
Knowles returned the favor six minutes later with an assist to Rathbun.
“They're just gelling and meshing together,” Char said. “We've been working on the lineup combination all season and I think we have one that works for us and Denali and Abby are getting on the same page and it's beautiful soccer.”
Moses Lake was unable to score in the second half, but did benefit from an own goal committed by Sunnyside in the 41st minute.
The win offered some catharsis, as the Chiefs were eliminated from the postseason in last year's play-in game.
“I think last year as a big learning moment for us,” Rathbun said. “We were definitely a young team and I think it really taught the girls what we need to bring, especially when it comes to playoffs because it's a clean slate. Anything can happen.”
Moses Lake will host Eastmont Tuesday, 6 p.m., for a chance to advance to Saturday's winner-to-state game.